The mesomorph body type is typically an athletic build. Women will often times have an hourglass shape, with wider shoulders and more prominent hips and lower body. The mesomorph sits right in between the ectomorph (normally thin and not as muscular) and the endomorph (big-boned and easily puts on mass). You might be thinking how great having a mesomorph body structure must be, but in actuality it comes with it's own set of challenges.
The mesomorph will have NO problem puting on mass. Unfortunately that means in muscle and in fat. If a mesomorph isn't careful, they can easily become overweight by taking in too many calories from high-fat foods. They typically store fat equally in most areas of their bodies. The great thing is that as easy as it is for a mesomorph to put on the weight, with hard work and a change in their diet, they can easily take off unwanted weight. Their muscles are a huge benefit as they are thick and powerful and require the use of more calories to maintain. DIET for the MESOMORPH
The diet of a mesomorph should focus on complex carbs and protein. Protein is incredibly important for a mesomorph to maintain their muscles and fuel their body.
Carbohydrates are a bit trickier with mesomorphs. While it is important to have carbs and it will ultimately fuel your body especially after a workout, it is important to know just what kind of cards to take in. It is recommended that a mesomorph body type eat slower absorbing carbs, such as yams, brown rice and other vegetables. It's also a good idea to mix up their carb choices, rotating between fruits, vegetables and whole grains. Another important factor while consuming carbs is to focus on FIBER rich foods. Things like quinoa, and other whole grains will be a huge benefit. Mesomorphs should avoid foods that are high in sugar as they can lead to quick weight gain if consumed too often. It is especially important to stay away from carbohydrates that are high in sugar. You want to make sure you are incorporating a decent amount of healthy fats and oils. Flax seed oil and olive oil are great choices. Avocados and other omega 3's are also extremely beneficial to the mesomorph body type. The mesomorph will benefit from eating 5-7 small meals a day to keep their metabolism high. By eating a balance of 40% carbs, 30% fat and 30% protein, a mesomorph will be able to reach their body type's full potential. EXERCISE for the MESOMORPH
Exercise and training will come fairly easy to a mesomorph because of their naturally muscular physique. However it is very important for the mesomorph to incorporate rest and stretching days. A mesomorph can very easily over-train their bodies, leading to problems.
The best strategy for a mesomorph is to incorporate a variety of workouts throughout the week. It's recommended that a mesomorph workout about 5 times a week for about 30-45 minutes. Rotating between High Intensity Interval Training (HIIT) Workouts and steady state cardio is optimum. When weight training it's best to use moderate to heavy weights. Limited rest between sets is important to continue to strengthen and train the muscles. Circuit training or a boot-camp style workout is a great way to accomplish this. Changing up the intensity of a workout will continue to challenge the muscles in a mesomorph body type. This includes incorporating things like yoga or Pilates at least one day a week. OUR SPONSORS:
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I want to share with you one of my favorite portions of our Healthy Habit Kickstart program. I'm so excited to share this with you and I hope you'll see the value in it and give it a try.
The number one reason people don't utilize the powerful benefits of meditation is because with live in a world where busy is in. We constantly have things in the go. We are always multitasking. We don't beleive in slowing down or quieting our mind for the sake of focus. The busier we are the better. But we are now seeing that this busy lifestyle of being on the go constantly is having a negative affect on our brains and our physical health. Starting meditation doesn't mean you need to spend even 15 minutes with it. And it certainly doesn't need to take away from your productive times of the day. I recommend finding your least productive time. Maybe it's when you're watching TV, maybe it's 10 minutes of social media time, or maybe it's that time at the end of the night when you're perusing Pinterest. All you need to do is start with a clear head and spend three minutes in meditation. I know when I first heard the recommendation to meditate it sounded like this foreign, unattainable task to me. I didn't think I could focus and not be productive for that long. But meditating actually has the opposite affect on our bodies and brains. It will cause you to have a better day, better night's sleep and actually increase your productivity. 
BENEFITS OF LIMITING SOCIAL MEDIA & TELEVISION
By cutting back on TV and social media you will greatly increase the quality of your life. There are many more ways than this small list we compiled, but it's a great start:
Spring is right around the corner! It's a time to embrace bright sunny colors and gear up your body for some summer sun. Spring is my favorite time to amp up my workouts. I don't know if it's the added sunlight or the fact that I can finally workout outdoors, but I love to kick it into high gear. And to be honest, new workout clothes really do make working out a bit more fun. I love this ensemble as it is modest and you can even wear it when you're out and about during the day too.
GET THE LOOK
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The underlying issue that is causing so many Americans to lose sleep is: PRODUCTIVITY. That's right, our culture has put such pressure on being productive that often times sleep is the first thing to go as it is seen as "unproductive" subconsciously by many.
Can we talk for a minute about the underlying problem regarding sleep in our society? Sleep is commonly viewed as an unproductive activity. How many times do you go to bed late or get up earlier in order to get something checked off your to do list? Our society is so obsessed with productivity and going-going all the time that sleep becomes the "task" that gets cut off the to-do list. I recently listened to an amazing Podcast by Shawn Stevenson where he discussed this phenomenon in our culture specifically and in depth. I was in 100% agreement with him. I couldn't believe that I hadn't dialed in on this issue earlier in my own life. I love feeling productive and crossing things off my to do list. More often than not I was totally skimping sleep because it's not on my to do list and I felt like it didn't give me anything of value. How mistaken I was. Sleep makes a whole DAY more productive if I can just make getting quality sleep a priority over checking off just ONE more thing. If you understand this issue, you are one step closer to fixing the problem. Sleep, however, is one of the most important components to living a healthy life. Sleep regulates and repairs so many other functions in our bodies. By getting adequate, restful sleep your mood will improve, your physical body will feel better, your hormones will be more balanced. Sleep is an amazing part of how our bodies function.
By getting a quality 7-8 hours of sleep per night, you are making a step in the right direction to improve and fix so many parts of your body that get worn down during the day:
How can you create a sleep environment from from the image above today? Can you let yourself drift off to sleep a half hour earlier than normal? Remember that just because society has deemed sleep as unproductive, doesn't mean that's true. Sleep is your best friend!
looking for more sleep tips? get a 10 day email program of healthy habits and exactly how to make them work.
Protein Powder Crepes
Whisk the egg whites and protein powder together to get a smooth consistency.
TIP: A milk frother works AMAZING to get a smooth consistency. Pour 1/3 of your mixture into a lightly greased pan and gently roll the pan around until there is a thin layer covering the bottom. Once the mixture begins to bubble flip your crepe over. Cook for about 10 more seconds and remove. Repeat with the rest of the batter. Fill your crepe with berries and fruit. Savory crepes with meats and veggies is another great option.
Hormones can be a very tricky thing the older we get. Especially for moms as they get older, hormones can get completely out of sync leaving you feeling tired with stubborn pudge that you can't get rid of. The good news is there are ways to "reset" your hormones in a way.
CORTISOLWHAT IS IT Cortisol is a hormone that we want to REDUCE as much as possible. Cortisol is a steroid hormone that is produced from cholesterol. It is also known as the "flight or fight" instinct. Cortisol is produced in reponse to our body being put under stress. Stress is anything that puts extra demands on our bodies or minds. When you think about it that way there are A LOT of things that put added stress on our bodies. Even our workouts could actually be raising our cortisol levels. Cortisol levels are negatively affected by first and foremost by stress and anxiety. Secondly it is affected by a poor diet. Specifically too much sugar, too much caffeine and skipping meals. Cortisol is also affected by over exercising like we mentioned above and by lack of sleep. AFFECTS ON THE BODY Cortisol is responsible for weight gain and in particular, belly fat. Our bodies response to stress it to hold on to fat stores rather than burn them during activities. Cortisol also triggers our appetite and tells us we are hungry. Double whammy on the weight front, right? It can cause blood sugar imbalance as well causing our body to crave sugar and carbs to keep you going. HOW TO RESET YOUR CORTISOL The best way to control your cortisol levels is to change the way you respond to stress in your life. It's probably impossible to eliminate every single stress in your life, but you certainly can change your own response to it. When you respond in a calm, collected manner your cortisol levels won't go through the roof and send your hormones into a tailspin. Other ways you can improve your cortisol levels are:
thyroidWHAT IT IS Thyroid hormones are hormones produced by your thyroid gland. These hormones are primarily responsible for regulating your metabolism. This means decreased thyroid slows everything down and your body doesn't necessarily burn the fat and carbs you are taking in quickly. When your thyroid levels are raised everything speeds up and you use up what you take in. AFFECTS ON THE BODY Low thyroid is quite common and can be noticed in several ways. Obviously if your thyroid levels are low, your metabolism is low. If your metabolism is low you will most likely have weight gain or stubborn fat that just won't drop off. Low thyroid is also linked to brain fog and fatigue due to the sluggish speed our bodies take on. HOW TO RAISE YOUR THYROID Thyroids can be extremely sensitive, and if you suspect you have a larger issue going on with your thyroid, it's best to talk to your doctor. However you can help improve your thyroid levels naturally by taking a Vitamin D supplement or getting outside with some sunscreen on. There have also been studies that prove probiotics help with protecting your body from environmental factors that can affect your thyroid. ESTROGENWHAT IS IT Estrogen is the primary female sex hormone that is responsible for development and regulation of the female reproductive system. Estrogen is also primarily involved in mood disturbances and regulating the reproductive functions in the body. AFFECTS ON THE BODY Estrogen is responsible for increasing particular receptors in the lower body of women that slow fat release. This explains the "pear" shape of women. It also means it's more difficult to shed fat around your tush and thighs when you're trying to lose weight. It also impacts your brain's relaxing chemicals and can seriously affect your mood and general outlook on life. Because these chemicals are affected by low estrogen, you're body starts craving "feel good" foods......like chocolate. HOW TO BALANCE YOUR ESTROGEN
Here are my TOP picks for the best and most perfect gifts for the fit girl in your life. You know the one. And she will go CRAZY over any of these awesome gifts. Swell water bottles are one of the hottest things in the fitness industry right now. They are the most modern, chic water bottles and they don't have a million little grooves to hold water and mold (ew). My personal favorite pick is the Fitbit Charge HR. I LOVE MINE. It is so much fun to keep myself accountable this way.
If your fit chick is a runner, the Dri-Fit headband and running gloves by Nike are a must. And foam rolling is a GREAT add-on for the runner or hard core exerciser. I love this compact foam roller because, let's face it, I just don't have that much extra space sitting around to store my fitness products. I. AM. IN. LOVE with this bag, my friends. It is the perfect bag for the gym or yoga for any fitness gal. Seriously. She will love you forever. And although it's not the most ROMANTIC gift, these socks are really awesome. The back tab adds a little bit of cushion to your shoes and doesn't allow any sort of pain or rubbing on your back heel.
I love that in today's world, most of the time it is completely acceptable to wear your workout clothes almost anywhere and fit in completely. I love dressing up workout ensembles and seeing how versatile particular pieces can be.
wear it to workoutWear it Dressed Up
Amanda Klecker, All Day Activewear
1. Preheat your waffle iron and coat with a nonstick spray of your choosing
2. Sift together the first four ingredients (through baking powder) 3. Add the remaining ingredients and mix thoroughly 4. Pour onto your heated waffle iron and cook for 7 minutes or so until golden brown and crunchy 
Amanda Klecker, All Day Activewear
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